Hinges



Dec. 29, 1964 c. P. PEPPER 3,162,891

HINGES Filed May 17, 1962 2 Sheets- Sheet l INVENTOR Car/ P Pepper A. FM;

D ATTORNEY Dec. 29, 1964 c. P. PEPPER 3,162,891

HINGES Filed May 17, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTO R Car/ 7? Pepper ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofifice 3,162,881 Patented Dec. 29, 1964 3,162,891 I-WGES Carl P. Pepper, Lima, Peru, assignor to Leonard Oboler, Lima, Peru Filed May 17, 1962, Ser. No. 195,452 8. Claims. (Cl. 16-190) This invention relates to hinges and more particularly to hinges for use on cabinet doors and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved hinge for use on cabinets.

Another object of this invention is to reduce the deformation of thin cabinet doors which occurs when a door having a fixed stop is opened beyond its normal open position. I

Yet another object of this invention is to provide an over-centering hinge having a defeatable stop delimiting the normal open position of the hinge.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a hinge having plural rotational axes which are operational in sequence during operation of the hinge.

A further object of the invention is to provide an over-centering hinge having a minimum number of parts and which has a greater ease of assembly.

The above and other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention when taken with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIGURE 1 is a top view of an illustrative embodiment of the invention, applied to a cabinet, with the door shown in the closed position, as viewed from the plane 11 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 2 is a top view corresponding generally to FIGURE 1 with the illustrative hinge depicted in the normal open position, as viewed along the plane of 8 FIGURE 4, with some par-ts broken away or omitted and other parts in section in the interest of simplicity and clarity;

FIGURE 3 is a top view corresponding to FIGURE 2 showing the illustrative hinge opened beyond the normal position of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is front elevational view of the illustrative embodiment viewed in the direction of the arrow 4 in FIGURE 1 with some parts broken away or omitted and other parts in section in the interest of simplicity and clarity; and,

. FIGURE 5 is a simplified exploded perspective view of the hinge body, hinge bracket and socket components of the illustrative embodiment showing their general relationship and configurations.

Referring to the drawings, the illustrative embodiment is applied to a cabinet having a thin door 20 of sheet metal. The door is provided with an interior facing portion or box member 22 secured to the door and forming a part thereof. The cabinet has a built-up corner post 24 which the box member abuts in the door-closed position of FIGURE 1. Door 20 is secured to the cabinet post 24 by the hinge 26 and is movable with respect there to to the various positions shown in the drawings.

The hinge includes a body member 28 formed from sheet metal. Body member 28 is generally U-shaped with an apertured bight portion 30 and parallel sidewalls or legs 32. The end of each leg 32 is formed into a mounting flange 34 which lies in a plane parallel to and spaced from the plane of the bight 30. A positioning lug 36 extends at a right angle from each leg 32 adjacent one end of the bight 30. An endwall or spring retainer leg '38, having an aperture 39 therein, depends from the end of the bight opposite the positioning lugs 36. The hinge body 28 is disposed between the facing 22 and the door 20 with the bight 30 against the inner side of the door and with the positioning lugs 36 against endwall 40 of the facing 22. The lugs 36 locate the hinge body 28 relative to the end 40 of the door. The mounting flanges 34 are secured, as by welding, to the wide wall 42 of the facing 22 and the lugs 36 may be secured to endwall 40 if desired. The mounting flanges 34 straddle an opening 44 provided in the facing wall 42 adjacent post 24.

An aperture 46 is formed in each of the hinge body legs 32. Aperture 46 has three generally straight sides 47 and a formed, contoured side 48. The side 48 of each of the apertures 46 is aligned with the corresponding side 48 on the opposed legs'32. The contoured edge of side 4-8 provides a cam surface 58 which begins adjacent the mounting flange 34 and terminates at notch 52 which is adjacent the bight 3t).

Hinge socket 54, formed from sheet metal, has a semicylindrical bearing portion 56. The longitudinal axis of the bearing portion 56, indicated at A, coincides with the normal axis of rotation of the door with respect to the cabinet. One longitudinal edge 58 of the socket 54 is straight and has a tab 60 extending therefrom substantially tangential to the semi-cylindrical portion 56. The other longitudinal edge 62 of the socket has a central dip or notch 64. At edge 62 a pair of opposedly-extending coplanar longitudinal ears 66 extend beyond the ends 68 of the socket 54. An access opening 70 is provided in the socket which effectively divides the bearing portion 56 into upper and lower bearings 56a and 56b, respectively. When the hinge body 28 and socket 54 are assembled, the socket is positioned in the body with the cars 66 captive in the notches 52. The socket ends 68 are close to the inner sides of the body legs 32. Socket tab 60 lies generally within the plane defined by the body mounting flanges 34 in the assembled hinge.

A hinge bracket 72 is provided for operatively connecting the hinge body 28, socket 54 and door 20' to the cabinet post 24. Bracket 72 is secured to the post 24 by a mounting flange 74. A pair of spaced, parallel, co-planar arms 76 extend outwardly from flange 74. The arm 76 are bent at an angle to the flange and are joined together near their ends 78 by a transverse segment or bar 80. Arm ends 78 are curled about an axis, indicated at B, which is parallel to the broad faces of the arms and to the longitudinal axis of the bar 80. The curvature of the curled ends '78 is chosen to be complementary to the internal curvature of the semi-cylindrical bearing portion 56 of the socket 54. The exterior surface of the curled ends 78 of the upper and lower arms provides a pair of bearing surfaces 78a, 78b respectively which co operate with the socket bearings 55a, 56b in the assembled condition of the hinge. Arm axis B is coaxial with socket axis A during the normal operation of the hinge, i.e., from the door closed position to the normal door open position. The remote edges 79 ofthe arms slidably en.- gage the legs 32 and transmit the weight of the door to the hinge bracket 72.

A pair of spring saddles 82 are provided to guide the over-centering spring 84 in its operative relationship with the other parts of the hinge. Each saddle 82 has a fiat, wide-surface spring guide portion 86 that is encircled by the spring 84. The guide portion 86 terminates in a rounded-bottom U-shaped cup 88. The longitudinal axis of cup 88 is perepndicular to the wide face of the guide 86. The mouth of the cup faces away from the guide portion 86. The cup 88 is formed at the end of the guide to extend laterally from a wide face of the guide. Cup 88 is large enough to receive the arm bar therein when assembled. The saddles are positioned on the bar 80 back-to-back, i.e., with their wide faces touching and with the cups 88 extending away from one another and with the bar 80 received inthe cups 88. In the assembled condition of the hinge the spring of the spring is overcome.

guides 86' pass through the aperture 39 in the body 28 and the spring 84 reacts between the outer surface of the cups 88 and the retainer leg 38 to drive the cups against the bar sd. Both the cups 88 and the bar 80 are hardened steel or other material which is selected to withstand the wear incident to the relative movement between the parts when the hinge is operated. The individual saddles 82 are free to move relative to one another to insure full engagement with the bar 80. I a

The illustrative embodiment of the invention is assembled in the following manner. 'The socket 54 is positioned in the hinge body 28 with the ears 66 against the cam edges 54} of aperture 46. The ends 78a, 73b of the arms 76 of binge bracket 72 are then positioned in the corresponding bearing 56a, 56b parts of the socket 54. Spring 84 is positioned about the spring saddles 82 andthe end of the spring guide portions 86 are subsequently passed through aperture 39 in the hinge body. The spring 84 is then compressed to allow the spring saddle cups 88 to be positioned so that they engage the bar 80 on the hinge bracket when released. The cars 66 or the socket 54 are slid up the cam surfaces 50 until they snap into place in the notches 52 behind the lobe portion of the cam surface. The parts are then held together bythe force of the spring 84 driving the cups 88 against the bar 80' and thereby driving the bearing portions 56a, 56b and 78a, 78b together. I

The features of the illustrative hinge maybe bestseen by considering the operation of the hinge in'all its phases. Referring to FIGURE 1, the hinge may be seen in its closed position. At this time the line of action of spring 84 is outboard of the coaxial pivotal axes A, B of the socket 54 and bracket 72, respectively. In this condition, the force of the spring 84 biases the door 20 in the closing direction. The door 20 is arrested by complementary portions of the door and cabinet body (not shown). The biasing force of spring 84 remains effective to keep the door closed until overcome when the door is opened. When the cabinet is to be opened, the door 20 is moved to the open position during which movement the, socket bearings 56a, 56b slide relative to the cooperating bracket bearings 78a, 73b about the concentric axes A, B. The edges of the bar 80 slide on the interior surfaces of the cups 88 of the spring saddles 82 and the edges 79 of the bracket arms 76 slide on the interior opposed surfaces of the body legs 32. At a point close to the normal open position theline of action of spring 84 passes over-center of the axes A, Band the spring begins to expand somewhat after having been compressed by the previous movement. The spring force becomes effective to drive the hinge to its normal open position at a stop-which is defined by the engagement, at point C, of the socket edge 58 and the arms 76 of the hinge bracket 72 (see FIGURE 2). The door remains open against the stop formed at C since the line of action of spring 84 is between the point C and the concentric axes A, B. 1 V

When the hinge is driven open beyond the aforedescribed normal position, a novel feature of the invention prevents deformation of the door 20 or bending of the hinge parts. open position is resisted by the socket stop edge 58 and Movement of the door beyond the normal axis C thereby driving the arm surface 78a, 78b into engagement with socket surface Eda, 56b in the normal open position shown in FIGURE 2. Tab 60, which passes between the arms 76 of the bracket 72, is in position to engage the bar 80 toprevent disengagement of the bracket and socket segments of the hinge.

Although only one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made'ltherein without departing from the spirit of the invention, As an example, it is contemplated that the hinge body 28 and socket 54 may be made from one piece of sheet metal rather than from two as described above with minor attendant changes.

What is claimed is: i

l. A hinge including a hinge body having an apertured endwa-ll and a socket, said socket having a bearingsurface thereon opposite said endwal-l, the longitudinal axis A of said socket bearing surface defining thenormal pivotal axis of said hinge, a hinge bracket including a pair of spaced arms, said hinge body and said bracket, having mutually engageable portions defining a second pivotal axis of said hinge, abar member, spanning said arms adjacent the free ends thereof, said arm ends having a bearing surface configuration complementary to said socket bearing surface, a spring saddle, said saddle having a cup portion slidably engaging sm'd barmember and having a spring guide portion extending from said cup and passing through said aperture in said hinge body endwal l, and a spring positioned about said saddle and reacting between said cup and said endwall, said spring resiliently urging said arm bearing surfaces and said socket bearing surfaces into engagement when said hinge is pivoted about said normal pivotal axis, said arm bearing surface and said socket bearing surface separating when said hinge is pivoted about said second pivotal axis, said hinge pivoting about said normal pivotal axis and said second pivotal axis in sequence.

2. A hinge including a hinge body, said hinge body having a pair of opposed'sidewalls separated by a bight portion and an aperture endwall, said sidewalls having opposed hinge socket receiving apertures, a hinge socket positioned in said apertures, said socket having an interior bearing surface in opposition to said apertured endwall and said socket having portions engaging said side.- walls, the longitudinal axis of said socket bearing surface defining the normal pivotal axis of'said hinge, a hinge bracket having a mounting flange and a pair of co-planar arms extending therefrom, said arms having their ends formed to slidably engage said socket and to provide a bearing surface complementary to the bearing surface of said socket, said bracket and said hinge body having engageable portions defining a second pivotal axis of said hinge, a bar joining said arms together intermediate their ends, spring guide means slidably engaging said bar and extending through said apertured endwall, a spring reacting between said guide means and said apertured endwall to resiliently bias said guide means against said bar and said arm ends against said socket whereby said socket may slide relative to said arms when said hinge is pivoted about said normal pivortal axis, said arm. ends bracket 72. at point C. However, since the bearing surfaces 56a, 56b, and 78a, 78b are not secured together as by a hinge pin but are driven together by the action of spring 84, they are free to separate if the biasing force Continued movement overcomes the spring and defeats the stop action. The hinge parts pivot about the point of engagement C as a second operational axis. The arm ends 78 rise from the socket .54 against the force of spring'84 which is once again compressed. This is clearly shown in FllGURE 3 by the separation of the axes A and B. When the door is released spring 84 expands and pivots the door about and said socket separating against the bias of said spring when the hinge is pivoted about said second pivotal axis, said hinge being pivotal about said normal pivotalaxis and said second pivotal axis in sequence. a

3. A hinge including a hinge body having a semi-cylindrical bearing surface socket and having an apertured endwall opposite said socket, the longitudinal axis of said socket bearing surface defining a first pivotal axis of said hinge, a hinge bracket including a pair of spaced arms, a bar member spanning said arms adjacent one end thereof, said arm ends each having a bearing surface configuration complementary to said socket bearing surface, said socket and said bracket having engageable portion-s providing a second pivotal axis for said hinge whereby said hinge body is movable relative to said hinge bracket about said first pivotal axis and said second pivotal axis in sequence.

4. A hinge including a hinge body having a bearing surface socket whose axis defines a first pivotal axis of said hinge, a hinge bracket including a member having a cooperating bearing surface configuration complementary to said socket bearing surface, said socket and said bracket having further cooperating portions providing a second pivotal axis for said hinge, and means resiliently biasing said bracket bearing surface and said socket bearing surface into cooperative engagement when said hinge is pivoted about said first pivotal axis, said bracket bearing surface and said socket bearing surface separating against the bias of said biasing means when said hinge is pivoted about said second pivotal axis, said hinge being pivotal about said first pivotal axis and said second pivotal axis in sequence.

5. A hinge including a hinge body having a pair of spaced opposed sidewalls, a bight portion connecting said sidewalls and an endwall having an aperture therein, opposed hinge socket positioning apertures formed in said sidewalls, a hinge socket having a generally semi-cylindrical body portion providing a bearing surface on the interior wall thereof, the longitudinal axis of said socket defining a first pivotal axis of said hinge, said hinge socket having ear portions extending beyond the ends of the body portion for reception in said socket positioning apertures, a tab extending laterally from the side of said socket, a hinge bracket having a mounting flange and two co planar arms extending therefrom, said bracket and said hinge body having engageable portions defining a second pivotal axis of said hinge, a bar joining said arms at a point between the mounting flange and the ends of said arms, the ends of said arms formed to provide bearing surfaces complementary to the bearing surface of said hinge socket, a pair of spring saddles, each of said saddles having a generally fiat spring guide portion and having a laterally extending cup at one end, the mouth of said cup facing beyond the end of said saddle, said saddles being assembled back-to-back with said cups oppositely disposed and engaging the bar portion of said bracket and with the spring guides positioned in the endwall aperture, and an over-centering spring about said saddles and reacting between said cups and said endwall whereby the bearing surfaces of said hinge bracket arms are resiliently biased into engagement with the bearing surface in said socket body when said hinge is pivoted about said normal axis, said bearing surfaces of said hinge bracket arms and said socket body portion separating when said hinge is pivoted about said second pivotal axis, said hinge being pivotal about said normal axis and said second pivotal axis in sequence, said over-centering spring supplying a biasing force to return the hinge to said normal pivotal axis from said second pivotal axis.

6. A cabinet including a corner post, a door for said cabinet, a hinge pivotally connecting said door to said corner post for movement relative to said post, said hinge including a body portion secured to said door adjacent said post, said body portion having a socket bearing surface, a hinge bracket secured to said post, said bracket having a bearing surface slidably engaging said socket bearing surface, means resiliently urging said bearing surfaces together, said body portion having an edge which engages said bracket to define the normal open position of said door relative to said cabinet, said door being pivotable about said edge to open said door beyond said normal position, said socket bearing surface and said bracket bearing surface separating when said door is pivoted about said edge, said resilient means urging said bearing surfaces together and thereby urging said door to return to normal open position.

7. A cabinet including a corner post, a door for said cabinet, a hinge pivotally connecting said door to said corner post for movement relative to said post, said hinge including a body portion secured to said door adjacent said post, said body portion having a socket bearing surface, a hinge bracket secured to said post, said bracket having a bearing surface slidably engaging said socket bearing surface, means resiliently urging said bearing surfaces together, said body portion having an edge which engages said bracket to define the normal open postion of said door relative to said cabinet, said door being movable from a closed position abutting said cabinet to said normal position, said resilient means including an overcentering spring which urges said door closed in said closed position of said door and which maintains said door open in said normal open position with said edge against said bracket, said door being pivotable about said edge to open said door beyond said normal position, said body portion bearing surface and said bracket bearing surface separating when said door is pivoted about said edge, said resilient means urging said bearing surfaces together and thereby urging said door to return to said normal open position.

8. A hinge including a hinge body having an endWall and a socket, said socket having a bearing surface thereon opposite said endwall, a hinge bracket including a pair of spaced arms, the ends of said arms each having a bearing surface configuration complementary to said socket bearing surface, said socket and said arm bearing surfaces when engaged defining a first pivotal axis of said hinge, said bracket and said body having mutally engageab'le portions defining a normal open position of said hinge, said portions when engaged providing a second pivotal axis of said hinge, said socket and said arm bearing surfaces separating from one another when said hinge body and said bracket are pivoted about said second axis.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,006,163 6/35 Hall 16-128 X 2,623,236 12/52 Borchers et a1 16-135 2,779,967 2/57 Braun 16-190 X 2,976,766 3/61 Bianchi 16-180 X 3,034,402 5/62 Alberetti 16-180 X DONLEY J. STOCKING, Primary Examiner. 

3. A HINGE INCLUDING A HINGE BODY HAVING A SEMI-CYLINDRICAL BEARING SURFACE SOCKET AND HAVING AN APERTURED ENDWALL OPPOSITE SAID SOCKET, THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID SOCKET BEARING SURFACE DEFINING A FIRST PIVOTAL AXIS OF SAID HINGE, A HINGE BRACKET INCLUDING A PAIR OF SPACED ARMS, A BAR MEMBER SPANNING SAID ARMS ADJACENT ONE END THEREOF, SAID ARMS ENDS EACH HAVING A BEARING SURFACE CONFIGURATION COMPLEMENTARY TO SAID SOCKET BEARING SURFACE, SAID SOCKET AND SAID BRACKET HAVING ENGAGEABLE PORTIONS PROVIDING A SECOND PIVOTAL AXIS FOR SAID HINGE WHEREBY SAID HINGE BODY IS MOVABLE RELATIVE TO SAID HINGE BRACKET ABOUT SAID FIRST PIVOTAL AXIS AND SAID SECOND PIVOTAL AXIS IN SEQUENCE. 